With Gerhard Bock
Tuesday, November 19, 2024 – 7:00 pm Pacific Time (California)
Members and visitors can attend in person in San Francisco,
or register or join the meeting in progress on Zoom.
Program Description
Mangaves – crosses between manfredas and agaves, two closely related succulent genera –
are the new kids on the block in the succulent world. Combining the fast growth and user-
friendliness of manfredas with the longevity and architectural beauty of agaves, they are a great
fit for today’s waterwise landscapes and are equally at home in the ground and in containers.
Based on his experience growing mangaves for the past 5+ years, Gerhard will present a deep
dive into this new hybrid genus: what it is, where it’s come from, and where it’s going.
Since Manfreda is not nearly as well-known as its cousin Agave, Brian Kemble will give a short
introductory segment on this group. Then Gerhard will move on to highlight the many ×Mangave
cultivars that have become available in recent years.
About our Speaker
Gerhard gardens in Davis and loves spiky plants, above all agaves. He chronicles his
(mis)adventures on his popular blog Succulents and More.
Show & tell table: xMangave on the succulent side, and Eriosyce (including Neoporteria and Neochilenia) on the cactus side plus anything else that’s looking good or in flower.
Featured grower: The Succulent Addict - AKA Justin Thiel
Snack table:, There will be a shared spread, but we suggest bringing something every couple of months if you partake regularly. As a thought, we are often short on drinks.
Covid precautions: We will keep doors open to ensure adequate ventilation. This can make the room a bit chilly, so dress appropriately.
Meeting Agenda
5:00–7:30pm Succulent Pumpkin workshop. See below.
7:00 Mingling and announcements
7:30 Formal presentation starts promptly with Society business
7:35 Show and Tell Table
7:50 Leg stretch
7:55 Featured presentation
Watch Online
On Zoom: Register or join the meeting in progress.
Facebook simulcasts are on hold due to issue with Facebook’s connection to Zoom. We may switch to Youtube eventually.
Upcoming Events
Succulent Mini-Pumpkin Workshop at the November Meeting
Tuesday Nov 19, 5pm to 7:30pm
Free for members, $15 for non-members. All materials provided but bring cuttings if you want to use specific plants.
Melanie Hamilton will be leading a fun work table making mini-pumpkin succulent arrangements with moss, cuttings and hot glue. Show up any time before the meeting to start working on yours! More info including instructions in the Newsletter.
Monthly Volunteer Day at Gardens of Lake Merritt
Saturday, Nov 30, 2024 (and the last Saturday of every month)
10am – 2:30pm with a break for lunch at noon
666 Bellevue Ave, Oakland, CA
Learn succulent gardening techniques and help with the long-term transformation of the succulent displays at the garden. This is a perfect chance for people who live in the East Bay or who cant attend our regular meetings to participate in a society activity.
Contact Troy Stephens for info (contact info on last page of the newsletter), or just show up. Tell the parking attendant you are there to volunteer at the garden. Guests and non-members welcome.
Upcoming Meetings
Meetings always occur on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
- December – Annual Solstice Party